Waiting on Harry
by Danger2Granger
Summary: Before Harry arrives at the Burrow in book/film 6, Hermione is already there. This story explores what happened between Ron and Hermione while they were waiting on Harry to arrive. Some tension and fluff. R/H and H/G.
1. Hello Again

A/N: Thanks for reading my story. The world of Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling, not me, I'm just having some fun here.

It was the summer before sixth year, and Hermione was just turning off her light before getting into bed when a little owl started pecking on her window. After getting over the moment of shock from the unexpected noise, Hermione rushed to the window to let the little owl in.

"Hello, Pig," Hermione said, recognizing the tawny pet of Ron Weasley. Pig hooted softly and circled around her ceiling a few times, then landed on Hermione's desk to allow her to retrieve the letter tied to his leg.

"_Dear Hermione,_

_Hey how are you? Are you finding enough to read? _

_Things are a little hectic around here still, but I wanted to let you know that mum finally gave in about Hogwarts and all. If you still wanted to visit, I can come and get you by floo tomorrow. I haven't heard from Harry. Send Pig back with your reply quickly, sorry 'bout the late notice and short letter._

_Your friend,_

_Ron x"_

Hermione wasted no time in responding, as she had gained her parents' permission to visit Ron last week when he first owled about it.

"_Dear Ron,_

_I'm well, thanks. How are you? I have read a few books…will tell you about them tomorrow in great detail. I do still want to visit and my parents already said it was all right, so I suppose I will be seeing you very soon._

_Love from,_

_Hermione x"_

Hermione folded up her note and tied it to Pig's leg. Crookshanks walked in the room and hissed from the floor at him. Hermione patted the odd little owl and sent him back to the Burrow before heading back to bed.

The next day Hermione woke with a slight headache. She sat up too quickly and saw purple dots before her eyes while her head throbbed. Lying back in bed, Hermione sighed. Even through her headache she felt a little leap in her stomach when she remembered that today was the day she was going to the Burrow. Not only was it the last time she would see her parents in months, but she would soon be getting her O.W.L. results. Also, she would finally see her friends again. She pictured Ron's freckled face and she got out of bed, eager to start the day.

"Mum?" Hermione peered into her parents' room. Mrs. Granger was putting on her shoes, but looked up when she heard Hermione's voice.

"Yes, darling?"

"Hi, is Dad still here?" Hermione stepped into the room, looking around the wardrobe.

"Yeah, dear, over here," Mr. Granger called from the toilet. He walked out, tying a tie under his collar.

Hermione looked at both of her parents and said with a slight hitch in her voice, "I'm going today, Ron sent me a note last night."

"Oh sweetheart," Mrs. Granger said with a sad smile. Mr. Granger tried to look cheerful as he reminded her to avoid hard candies, and both her parents gave her long, firm hugs. This moment was always hard for Hermione, but each year it was getting easier as she grew to feel more at home at Hogwarts. She spent the whole of breakfast with her parents and kissed them goodbye as they left for work. When she was finally alone, Hermione sat in the living room, holding her head in her hands. She did this partially because she still had a headache, but also because she felt the heat of tears in her eyes after saying goodbye to her parents. She only meant to rest a few minutes, but she sat on her sofa like that for at least a quarter of an hour. It was the rush of flames and "thud" sound that made Hermione look up and exit her reverie. Ron ducked out from the fireplace and sneezed.

"Ron!" Hermione darted forward and threw her arms around him. A year ago, this action would have resulted in awkwardness, but now Hermione marveled to feel Ron wrapping his arms around her, too.

"Hermione," he said against her hair. She pulled back to see him grinning. She wiped at the tears that had sprung to her eyes afresh at seeing him.

"What's wrong?" Ron's splutter was mixed with nervous laughter. Hermione smiled and let out her own nervous laugh, causing more water to pool in her eyes momentarily.

"I was already sort of teary before you got here," Hermione said, "And then…I guess I'm just happy to see you!" Hermione finished with another wipe at her eyes.

"What were you crying about before?" Ron's smile was fading and his brow tensed a little.

"Oh, I had just said goodbye to my parents, that's all," Hermione stepped away from him and sat back down on the couch, replacing her head in her hands.

"Oh…right." Ron looked like he wasn't sure what to do with himself so he plopped down on the opposite end of the sofa.

"I've had a headache all morning," Hermione's groan was muffled behind her hands. There was a pause, and then Hermione felt her fringe being pushed back as Ron's cool hand touched her forehead. She stifled a gasp and looked up at him, dropping her hands to her lap. He was looking up at the ceiling and frowning, and then he felt her cheeks and murmured, "Mmmm…you don't feel like you've got a fever or anything." He looked down at her and suddenly Hermione felt the heat of a flush across her cheeks. She gave a little laugh and stood, waving her hands dismissively.

"I can just take some pills, it'll go away." She said this over her shoulder as she left him in the living room and went to find the aspirin. She reached the toilet and fished through the little cupboard until she came across the pills she wanted. She poured out a handful by accident and fed them back into the bottle until there were 2 left in her hand. Sealing the bottle again, she replaced it in the cupboard and headed to the kitchen to get a glass of water. Ron was waiting for her there with a glass already full.

"Thanks," she said quietly, accepting the glass and swallowing the pills. Ron stared at her intently.

"What?" Hermione finally said, a self-conscious smile playing at her mouth.

"Did it work?" He seemed to be leaning closer to her, his eyes wide. Hermione couldn't help giggling a little as she said, "Of course not, Ron! It takes about 20 minutes to start working!"

"Oh, right," Ron said, straightening, "Mum's potions work a bit quicker. Maybe we should go back to the Burrow to get you one?"

"No, that's alright. Let me just lie down a minute or two, okay?"

"Fine by me, I can bring your trunk down while you're resting." Ron followed her to her bedroom, but didn't start taking down the trunk right away. Hermione noticed that something seemed a little off about Ron. Usually, he was a little quieter when Harry wasn't around, but now he was almost pensive.

She lay down on her bed and pulled her throw-blanket over herself. Ron sat at the foot of the bed, looking around her room. After a while she heard him chuckle softly as he said, "Yeah this looks like your room alright…books everywhere, ruddy cat on the rug…" Crookshanks meowed bitterly from Hermione's floor.

"What do you think?" Hermione couldn't help asking.

"S'alright." Ron shrugged as he stood up from her bed and started walking around, picking things up and examining them.

"Better than your messy room," Hermione grumbled.

"Nah, my room has the lovely charm of the Chudley Cannons" Ron said as he wound up a music box. A tinkling version of "You Light up my Life" started playing and he set down the box, moving on to some pictures on the wall. His back was turned to her, so Hermione felt at liberty to study him. He was even taller than she remembered him, he must have grown about 6 inches over the summer. His hair was still its shaggy red mess it had always been, and his clothes were in the muggle style, though not exactly brand-new.

"Hey remember your big – " Ron stopped and changed his wording, "Remember when your teeth weren't perfect?" He was pointing at a picture of Hermione from 1st year, taken with a muggle camera at King's Cross.

"Yes." Hermione's tone wasn't encouraging, but Ron went on, "You look so different now." He turned away from the pictures and looked at her.

"Don't be silly," Hermione said, "You're the one who grew half a mile higher since I last saw you."

"Really? You think I got taller?" Ron came and sat on the edge of her bed again, "I just thought you got smaller."

"Of the most ridiculous things – " Hermione was saying when Ron's hand on her foot made her stop. She stared at him as if he were growing another head, then burst into laughter when he started tickling her foot. She tried to kick away his hands but he held fast and Hermione's laughter came in shrieks. As if suddenly conscious of what he was actually doing, Ron dropped her foot and looked away. Hermione, recovering her breath, noted the pink tint overcoming Ron's ears. A feeling like a warm knot formed in the pit of Hermione's stomach. Her headache was starting to abate but with the present tension she felt some throbs in her temples.

"So-" Ron's voice cracked and he cleared his throat. "So is your trunk all ready to go?" He didn't look at her as he asked, but he half-turned in her direction.

"Yes," Hermione wasn't sure why, but her answer came out soft and just a little melancholy. Ron looked at her now, and Hermione saw his adam's apple bob as he swallowed before speaking, "We don't have to uh…go so soon," he paused a beat, "if you don't want to, I mean." There was some silence while Hermione collected her thoughts. For a maddening moment she had a strong desire to hug Ron again, but when she thought of how he might respond, she felt cold and sick, yet hot and excited all the same. She had to get off the bed and out of such close proximity. If she wasn't careful, Ron might guess…well.

"Do you want a tour of the whole house?" Hermione said this as she rose from the bed, "I don't think I've ever shown you around before." She folded the blanket she had been under and put it at the foot of her bed.

"Sure," Ron stood as well, "I've never toured a muggle house, so yeah."

Hermione led the way down the hall and she opened the airing cupboard to show him the laundry, all clean. He didn't say anything but just stared at the neat stacks of clothes on the shelves. Hermione then showed him the guest room and the office. Ron was most interested in the computer. He had heard Harry talk of computers, but he had never had the chance to actually use one. Hermione knew that showing a computer to Ron would take all day as it would lead to more and questions, but she was happy to give him a quick demo on playing the solitaire. He noticed the chess game and played that for a minute. Ron said he enjoyed it very much, because even though it wasn't wizard's chess, it still had an element of magic as the opponent wasn't human. Next Ron played with the telephone. Growing up using owls, Ron was impressed with the speed in which muggles could "ring" each other up and speak. He told Hermione it must be quite handy.

"It _is _handy Ron, you have no idea how much convenience it adds to our lives…" her voice was trailing off, but then she said with renewed vigor, "Imagine, Ron! If you had a phone, I would be able to ring you up at any time of the day and we could speak for _hours_ if we wanted to! You could ring me and we could talk!" He looked a little shocked and said, "You mean instantly?"

"Yes!" Hermione was grinning. Her headache was almost completely gone.

"Could we, er…ring Harry?" Ron looked excited.

"Well," Hermione bit her lip, "you have to have people's number…" she thought a moment and hurried from the room. Ron peeked out of the doorway and down the hall to see her rummaging through some old books in her room. She called, "I think I have his number here somewhere!"

"Are you telling me you never ring Harry?" Ron seemed a little surprised, but also confused, like perhaps he didn't understand these phones, after all.

"Um," Hermione said loudly so Ron could hear her in the office, "well, his aunt and uncle don't like him using the phone, you see."

"Why not?" Ron walked to Hermione's room so he didn't have to shout.

"Well they aren't very nice, are they?" Hermione said. She had just found the little slip she was looking for and was headed back to the office already. Ron followed her and watched her pick up the receiver and dial the number on the paper. Hermione attempted to explain to Ron how to use the phone, but before she could finish saying anything, some one answered on the line.

"Hullo?" said a young man's voice.

"Hi!" Hermione said brightly, "Is Harry there, please?" Ron frowned a confused sort of frown and said, "Who are you talking to? Why are you smiling? Can they see you?"

Hermione waved her hand, trying to silence him.

"Uhhh, yeah, he's here. Who are you?" The boy on the other line drawled. Hermione's smile vanished and she said, "I'm Hermione Granger," with offense in her tone. Ron folded his arms, still frowning.


	2. Going to the Burrow

A/N: Welcome to another chapter! Thanks for the reviews! One reviewer mentioned that Ron uses a phone in Prisoner of Azkaban – thanks for your review and for pointing this out. I was aware of that, but I thought that just because Ron used a phone (once that we know of) does not at all mean that he understands them or has spent time with them...I mean, he still calls it a "fellytone" in PoA. I decided to write this fanfiction and focus on Ron learning more about Hermione and her world. I apologize if this deviates too far from cannon.

"Are you talking to that fat nutter of an uncle?" Ron whispered.

Hermione covered the microphone part of the handset and softly replied, "No, I think it's his cousin."

"Hello? Hello?" Came Harry's voice.

"Oh! Hi Harry!" Hermione beamed and so did Ron. Ron moved closer to listen and Hermione motioned for him to share the receiver with her. She tilted it a little away from her ear and Ron stooped to put his cheek against hers to listen.

"Hermione? What are you doing calling – " Harry was interrupted by Ron saying, "HI HARRY!"

"RON?! How –"

"He's at my house, he is taking me to the Burrow today!" Hermione said, "I'm just teaching him more about telephones and other muggle things, Harry."

"It's good luck you got my cousin on the phone, I don't think anyone else would have let you speak to me." Harry said.

"When you coming to the Burrow then?" Ron asked abruptly.

"Umm," Harry pondered, "I think in a few days."

There was a general pause as all three of them let this sink in. They would be reunited in only a few more days.

"Can't be too soon for me," Harry added.

"Me neither," Ron echoed and Hermione nodded, though Harry couldn't see her. Presently they heard some voices on the other end of the line and Harry quickly said, "I gotta go, bye!" and hung up.

Ron and Hermione moved apart and gaped at the phone, momentarily surprised. However, after a second or two Hermione reckoned it wasn't so strange that Harry would hang up like that – it's why she didn't ring him all the time. Ron seemed to be thinking the same thing, because he took the handset from her hand and replaced it on the housing.

"Well," Ron said, "It was good speaking to Harry again."

"Yeah," Hermione played with the cord, twisting it around her finger. She felt a little nervous, now that she knew Harry wasn't joining them for a few days. Hermione wasn't oblivious to what was developing between her and Ron, but she was sometimes doubtful about how he felt about her. Being with him was warmly welcome, but also a little frightening, now and then.

"So, I have lots of siblings, yeah?" Ron suddenly said, "So I had plenty of playmates when I was growing up."

Hermione turned toward him, dropping the phone cord and looking at him. "Yes," she said, urging him on.

"Well, you don't have any brothers or sisters…who did you play with?" Ron continued on before she could answer, "I mean, do you have muggle friends? Who do you see over the summer?"

"Oh," Hermione started, "Well, yes, I have muggle friends." Ron just stared at her, so she went on, "I mean, I had playmates like anyone else would. I did, however, grow a little studious before I went to Hogwarts and so I spent more time alone than with other children."

"I can see that," Ron was smiling, but she wasn't sure it was in a kind way.

"Seeing as how I attend what I told them was a boarding school, they don't expect to see me anymore and so I have dropped many acquaintances, as is natural, I suppose." Hermione looked pensive, but not saddened, "Anyway, to answer your other question – I mostly see family over the summer. My parents miss me quite a lot when I'm at Hogwarts."

"Okay," Ron said.

"Why?" Hermione asked while walking to the doorway and motioning for Ron to follow her.

"No reason. Just curious." He said this in a tone that made Hermione give him a look, but he only shrugged. Hermione led him to her parents' room and only briefly opened the door to show him before they moved on. They went downstairs and Hermione showed him the toilet, the kitchen, the dining room and the living room. Ron wanted to watch some TV so Hermione turned it on for him and then gave him the remote. He found a channel playing the romance _Somewhere in Time_ and Hermione couldn't help blurting out, "Oh! Stop there!" Ron obeyed her and she grabbed another throw pillow to get more comfortable as she intended to finish the film. Ron followed suit, though it was harder for him as the couch was rather small and he was rather tall. Hermione didn't mind it at all when she discovered that Ron was sitting quite close to her. The movie was in its last 20 minutes and when it was over Ron laughed at Hermione who had teared up at the ending. Ron admitted it was entertaining and he set off to find another film. He stopped on a showing of _The Exorcist _and Hermione couldn't help gasping.

"What?" Ron said.

"Ohoho," Hermione chortled, "This film is SCARY!"

"Yeah?" Ron was grinning, "Good thing we're Gryffindors, right?" Hermione was smiling, too. However, after about 30 minutes both Ron and Hermione were definitely disturbed. Unconsciously, they had moved closer together and were now gathered side-by-side under a throw blanket that Hermione had pressed to herself just five minutes before.

"Actually," Ron's voice cracked and he cleared his throat to start again, "If you think about it…this isn't scary because we're wizards and could uh…easily defeat…Satan."

Hermione wasn't convinced of Ron's bravery, but she tried to act enthusiastic when she agreed with him. When it was over they moved apart, flushing a little. There was yet again some tension, so Hermione suggested that they carry down her trunk and get going to the Burrow. Ron agreed and they switched off the television and headed upstairs.

"So do you want to hear about the book I just read?" Hermione said as they each grabbed a handle of her trunk.

"Uhhhhg," Ron groaned, both from the prospect of hearing about the book and from carrying the trunk. Hermione's mouth twitched but she only said, "Well you _asked_."

"When did I ask _that_?!" Ron huffed.

"In your letter last night!" Hermione's face was going violet from the effort of carrying the heavy trunk.

"What the bloody hell are you keeping in here?!" Ron dropped his end of the trunk and bent over, breathing heavily, which caused Hermione to drop her end as well.

"Books," Hermione said in a shallow voice. She was catching her breath as well.

"Oh _there's _a big surprise!" Ron said with disgusted sarcasm.

"Oh _HA! HAAA!" _Hermione imitated his tone nastily. They shot each other daggers the whole way down the stairs with the trunk, but were too tired to get into an argument at the moment. Hermione was very annoyed with Ron for acting like such a bear all of a sudden, but didn't want to make him change his mind and leave her behind, so she held her peace. They pushed the trunk into the fireplace and Ron pulled out a pouch of floo powder from his belt.

"Go on, Hermione, get on the trunk." He held the floo powder in his fist and motioned for her to take it.

"Ron, you take the trunk back." She pushed his fist gently back toward him.

"What? Just because I'm the guy – "

"Unless you would rather take Crookshanks?" Hermione smiled.

"Oh right!" Ron jumped into the hearth and shouted "THE BURROW!" as he threw his powder into the flames. Hermione watched him disappear with her trunk. She then collected Crookshanks and made her way to the fire. Ron had left the pouch of floo powder on the mantle, so Hermione took a fistful and repeated after Ron, clutching Crookshanks to her chest. She arrived in cloud of soot, Crookshanks digging into her skin with sharp claws.

"Ouch! OUCH Crookshanks!" The cat claws digging into her arm and breast were so painful tears sprang to her eyes. The cat hissed at Ron's attempt to peel the cat away and Hermione cried out.

"Stupid bloody…cat!" Ron said through clenched teeth as he tried to gently pry away the beast.

"Ron!" Hermione whimpered. Finally Crookshanks let go and darted from the room. Hermione tried to laugh off the pain, but tears gushed forth.

"Are you bleeding?" Ron asked.

"I don't know," Hermione pulled the neck of her shirt down over her shoulder to expose the areas on her chest and arm where Crookshanks' sharp claws had dug into her. Drops of blood were appearing for the claw marks and they were swollen and puffy, as cat scratches often become. Without thinking she moved her bra strap away, too, so that she could get a better look.

"What do you think? It doesn't need magic does it?" Hermione glanced up at Ron to hear his answer, but she didn't think he had heard her. He was staring, as if in a trance, at the skin of her exposed shoulder. Hermione followed his gaze and was shocked to see that a good portion of the top part of her breast was in view. She hadn't meant to show so much, and she instantly covered it, reddening rapidly. This seemed to break Ron's reverie and when he met her eyes a hot flush flooded his face, starting from his neck and climbing all the way to his ears.

"Uh, sorry…" Ron mumbled, "No they – no IT – umm…I don't reckon you'll need any uh…magic." He was speaking too quickly for Hermione to understand him easily, so she instinctively leaned closer to pick up on his words. He, in turn, instinctively backed away from her, growing flustered. He accidentally backed into the fire poker stand and fell down amidst a crash of scattering utensils on the stone hearth.

"Ron!" Hermione gasped, "Are you okay?"

"Ron?!" They heard Mrs. Weasley shout from the kitchen. She hurried in to find Ron getting up from the floor, rubbing his bottom with a grimace. Hermione was holding his free arm, and had evidently just helped him up.

"Hello, dears!" Mrs. Weasley beamed, "Now what's wrong? What's happened?" She looked between them at Hermione's exposed shoulder and Ron still rubbing his bum. "Hermione, you're bleeding!"

"It was Crookshanks," Hermione explained, "Doesn't like floo powder I guess."

"And I just stumbled back out of nowhere," Ron covered, his face still aflame.

"Where all did he get you, darling?" Molly spoke in a soothing voice as she approached Hermione.

"Here, and…" now Hermione looked up to make eye contact with Ron, who got the hint and looked directly away from her, "…and here." Hermione pulled her top down a little to show Molly the scratches on her chest.

"Oh dear me, that cat was awful wretched to you!" Mrs. Weasley summoned a moist cloth and wiped away the blood. "Be sure to keep an eye on that, will you? Wouldn't want you coming down with cat-scratch fever!" Mrs. Weasley helped her secure her shirt in place and bustled away, cleaning the blood-stained cloth on her way.

"Mum!" Ron called, "Where is everyone?"

"Check the clocks, dear!" Molly answered. Ron obeyed her and told Hermione that the only ones home were Ginny and themselves, as Fred and George were tending their shop and Mr. Weasley was at work.

"Dunno where Ginny is…maybe in her room," Ron said, "Come on, we have to take your trunk up there anyway." He pulled her trunk up the stairs and she pushed from the back. They made it up one landing when Mrs. Weasley chanced to see them and levitated it the rest of the way for them.

"Thanks, mum!" Ron said over his shoulder as he pushed the trunk into Ginny's room. She was not in there, however, so Ron and Hermione stood awkwardly, not meeting each other's gaze. Hermione had another awful temptation to hug him, and she almost grew angry with herself for feeling that way. What was coming over her?

How was she ever going to make it through the next few days?


End file.
